Sunday, December 4, 2016

So, I just realized I haven’t written a High Low High post since September. Holy cow, where did the past couple of months go?! Yowsahs.

If you’re unfamiliar with this blog post series, I recap my weekend by sharing both the high and low points from it. I always like to end on a high note, so there’s typically more highs than lows! 🙂 Ok, here we go!

HIGH: Having a spa day with my friend Marisa followed by some day drinking and lunch.

The nice folks from Skin Care New York invited me and a friend to enjoy some complimentary services at their new Back Bay location in Boston, and I (more than) happily accepted. Spa day? Yes, please!

Marisa and I each received a massage and facial, but they were different treatments. She started with the Micro Body Buff Polish with Express Massage and then finished with a laser facial. I started with the Pumpkin Spice Retexturizing Facial, which was incredible. It took like 8 layers of dead skin off my face. And, of course, I mean this in the best possible way! It smelled just like pumpkin pie and, wow, my face felt completely refreshed after… definitely softer and smoother. I really noticed when applying make-up later in the day. It went on soooo nice and even. I also received one of the best massages of my life from one of the spa’s therapists: Iris. She literally had healing hands. More on this below.

If you’re a long-time reader, you probably remember my nagging hip issues. I have pretty bad scoliosis (recently measured at 48 degrees), so my hips are uneven, which means repetitive movements and especially long-distance running do quite a number on my body. Side note: I absolutely, 100% think CrossFit has helped my body become stronger, so I haven’t dealt with as many hip issues in recently times (i.e. I trained for and ran the Boston Marathon without a single injury). Anyway, I’m not sure what happened with the half marathon (maybe it was all of the hills?), but my hip is still bugging me.

HIGH: Iris doing some crazy-awesome myofascial release that made my back and hip feel SO MUCH BETTER. It was incredible. I joked to Mal that it was like “magic.”

HIGH: Marisa and I meeting our husbands and babies for post-spa drinks and lunch at Southside Tavern.

Big salad + wine = balanced lunch, right? 🙂

HIGH: Celebrating a friend’s birthday at My Gym, which was the best kid’s birthday party idea ever. It was perfect for toddlers (and bigger kids, too) and everyone had so much fun! We might just do this same thing for Qman’s birthday in June.

LOW: In addition to a bum hip, I developed some sort of weird rash/eczema on my eyelids. *sigh* It’s always something, isn’t it?! I popped into the Minute Clinic this morning, but, unfortunately, they can’t diagnosis eye issues (except pink eye), but the NP on staff recommended an over-the-counter option. I have an appointment with my primary care doctor at the end of the month, but, hopefully, things clear up sooner than that. I’m worried this is related to UC and/or Entyvio since skin issues typically go hand-in-hand. Boo.

HIGH: An early-morning, solo trip to Trader Joe’s this morning. I beat the crowds and had a chance to pursue the aisles at my leisure. 🙂

HIGH: Purchasing lots of good food and prepping like a champ!

FYI: I have a bunch of super simple, 3-ingredient dinners coming your way later this week! 🙂

LOW: No donuts at Coffee Shack. Oh, the horror. (I still got an iced coffee!)

HIGH: Celebrating four days of our 24 Days of Togetherness!

Day 1: Share 3 things that you love about each other + Quinn and Murphy.

When Mal asked Quinn what he loved most about me (Mama), he replied (and pointed to himself): “Me.” Super cute. When I asked Quinn what he loved about Dada the most, he replied: “Me.” Yep, he nailed it.

Day 2: Have a fire. I think this was actually the first fire in our “new” house!

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 145: Dr. Brett Hill: Host Elle Russ chats with Dr. Brett Hill about his new book, Nourish Without Nagging, which helps parents figure out how to get their kids to eat—and love—healthy food.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I’m up for auction at one of my favorite charities, GO Campaign, an organization that improves the lives of orphans and vulnerable children around the world by partnering with local heroes to deliver local solutions.

Study that everyone can come together over: Both a high-fat, very low-carb diet rich in saturated fat (34% of calories) and a low-fat, high-carb diet low in saturated fat improve waist circumference, visceral fat loss, weight loss, and lipid markers (HFLC boosts HDL, LFHC drops LDL, both drop triglycerides). They were supposed to be isocaloric, but the HF group ended up eating 250 more calories per day and still lost weight.

Commonly seen as a supplement, moringa (botanical name: moringa oleifera) is now being added to foods. Find out where you can find these foods, and whether they’re worth the money.

About Moringa

Moringa is a plant native to the sub-Himalayan areas of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The plant can withstand both terrible drought and also mild frost, which means it can grow in a wide variety of areas throughout the world. You could consider it a “super plant” because it can withstand such harsh weather conditions.

The Nutrition

The entire plant, including the leaves, bark, flowers, fruit, seeds and root, contains a plethora of nutrients, which is why moringa has become such a popular supplement. The leaves, which can be eaten fresh or dried, contain minerals like calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron and copper. The plant also contains vitamin A, numerous B vitamins, and vitamins C, D and E, along with protein and healthy fat. The plant also provides numerous plant chemicals that help fight and prevent disease, such as flavonoids and saponins.

Although advocates claim that moringa can help conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, a 2012 review paper published in Frontiers in Pharmacology determined that there isn’t enough scientific research and data to show how much moringa is safe to take and what the side effects of consuming it are.

The Food

Moringa isn’t available commercially in its fresh form, but companies like Kuli Kuli Foods sell it in capsule, liquid and powder form. The company also created moringa bars, which contain 2,500 milligrams of moringa; by comparison, most moringa capsules contain about 100 milligrams. Asked where they source their moringa, a representative from Kuli Kuli Foods said, “We work with farmers in Nicaragua, Haiti and Ghana. All suppliers must adhere to strict food safety guidelines, and all lots are microbiologically tested before they leave the country of origin, once it arrives in the U.S.A., and after any additional processing. We also test for heavy metals.”

You can also find moringa tea online sold by numerous companies. Some sell it as part of a green tea blend, while others sell it claiming detox, weight-loss or energy-boosting effects. Be wary of these claims, as there isn’t sound scientific evidence to back them up.

The Bottom Line

There’s not enough science to back up the safety of moringa and establish an adequate dose, but if you would like to enjoy it in a bar or tea once in a while, make sure it’s coming from a reputable source. Moringa may interact with medications even when consumed in the form of food or beverages (like bars and tea), so check with your doctor first to make sure there are no potential interactions. If there’s any cause for concern, you may be better off eating a well-balanced diet that provides you with many of the same nutrients you would get from a moringa supplement.